Her research has been focused on the development of anti-infective biomaterials and drug-delivery systems capable to prevent, control and treat bacterial infections. Joana has proved expertise, with 16 international peer-reviewed papers (h-index 7, 131 citations, 9 as the first author), and participated in several international and national conferences, related to bone regeneration, phage therapy, development of anti-infective biomaterials and drug-delivery systems capable to prevent, control and treat bacterial infections. During her training, Joana had the opportunity to work, in close collaboration, with University of Minho (UMinho), University Santiago de Compostela and Faculdade de Medicina Dentária da Universidade do Porto (FMDUP), Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto (FEUP) that allowed her to acquire knowledge from distant domains such as phage technology and therapy (UMinho), establishment the proof-of-concept of phages in the treatment of infectious disease (UMinho), synthesis and sterilization of sensitive materials (USC), modification and incorporation of antimicrobial agents on biomaterials using supercritical technology (USC), biological (antimicrobial activity, cytotoxicity, and biocompatibility) characterization through in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo systems (FMDUP), mechanisms of bacterial contamination and infection (FEUP), and strategies to control and minimize biofilm formation on implant-related and processing industries-related surfaces (FEUP). Thus, Joana Barros worked with a broad range of techniques and methods including molecular biology, microbiology, biotechnology, bioinformatics, materials engineering, bioreactors, molecular and cellular biology, ensuring an interdisciplinary background. In addition to scientific competences, Joana always had an active involvement in several initiatives for public awareness for science and other scientific activities (i.e. projects elaboration, courses and workshops participation, and integration in scientific committee AERoGELS conference COST CA18125 and organizing committee symposium), and conquered two awards, IACOBUS-Publicações científicas and Conference Grant for Early Career Investigator (ECI) from Inclusiveness Target Countries COST, allowing to upgrade my skills in conducting scientific.

Now, Joana is a Post-Doctoral researcher at FEUP/INEB into project NoMic2Bone, evaluating the antimicrobial properties of materials based on nanoXIM® by in vitro and in vivo assays. assays. Joana started to perform functions as a management committee member of Portugal and vice-leadership at WG1 in Aerogel COSTAction CA18215.